# And now: Yemen and the "Pink Revolution" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 13, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245 "2011-02-13T21:19:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/1 "2011-02-13T21:19:01Z")
A government that [already had three insurgencies to deal with](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Yemeni_protests#Background) (al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula; Shi’ite secessionists in the northwest; South Yemen secessionists in the southeast) now has protesters marching in the capital. They are wearing pink ribbons to express non-violent intent. Can that go anywhere? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/2 "2011-02-14T00:02:47Z")
I hear the Susan G Komen foundation is writing cease and desist letters as we speak. ---
**Author:** ![nani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58956e/32.png) [@nani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nani)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/3 "2011-02-14T08:42:56Z")
The Yemeni leader has already done the “I won’t run again, so calm down y’all… Oh, hey, the people want me so much, I’m forced to reverse my decision” trick in 1999 and 2005. There’s a big well of distrust on his promises from the opposition. Yemen has a lot of very interesting things going on in it, with all the connotations that can imply. Zaidi Shiism is quite different from Twelver Shiism in Iran. The reunification of North and South Yemen have had lasting repercussions with North Yemen and Saleh dominating the South. Yemen has a big problem with their local drug of choice and national cash crop, qat. Lots of protesters leave by afternoon for their fix. [Qat is a huge part of the economy and daily life.](http://www.mg.co.za/article/2011-02-10-qat-addiction-may-stem-yemen-protests/) My Arab friends are all looking at Algeria right now as the most likely next domino. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/4 "2011-02-14T17:11:43Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > I hear the Susan G Komen foundation is writing cease and desist letters as we speak. I think they’ll only get pissed if they call it “Revolution for the Cure”. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/5 "2011-02-16T18:49:10Z")
Hmm. [Yemen protests continuing for sixth day; at least one death.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12486682) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/6 "2011-02-16T18:51:06Z")
> [@nani](#): > > Yemen has a big problem with their local drug of choice and national cash crop, qat. Lots of protesters leave by afternoon for their fix. [Qat is a huge part of the economy and daily life.](http://www.mg.co.za/article/2011-02-10-qat-addiction-may-stem-yemen-protests/) > [@](#): > > “After I chew I can’t go out. When I chew qat, the whole world is mine. I feel like a king,” said Mohammed al-Qadimi, a student who has attended Yemen rallies but said it would be hard to motivate himself to protest all day. Hm. Never even heard of that stuff before. (Is it street-sold anywhere in the U.S.?) ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/7 "2011-02-16T20:28:50Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Hm. Never even heard of that stuff before. (Is it street-sold anywhere in the U.S.?) I’ve tried it in Yemen (one of the most interesting places I have ever been). It tastes like leaves and takes a long time to have much effect… it is quite mild, but most Yemenis spend a large percentage of their lives in a qat-induced state. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/8 "2011-02-16T20:32:01Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Hm. Never even heard of that stuff before. (Is it street-sold anywhere in the U.S.?) Minneapolis is a good bet, or anywhere else with a substantial Somali community. Apparently it’s pretty expensive to import because nobody’s figured out a good way to dry it so you pretty much have to refrigerate it. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/9 "2011-02-16T21:18:00Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Hm. Never even heard of that stuff before. (Is it street-sold anywhere in the U.S.?) Probably, but imagine drinking a dozen coffee’s one after the other. The effects are somewhat similar. I’ve tried the stuff when I was there and all I got for my troubles was cuts on my gums (not one told me to remove the stems, D’oh!). The issue is that people use what little money they have to buy the stuff that they don’t have much left over for food. Plus the water usage and the loss of revenue from crops that could be sold externally. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/10 "2011-02-16T22:14:45Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Probably, but imagine drinking a dozen coffee’s one after the other. Hmf! “Imagine” indeed! You’re talking to Dopers here! ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/11 "2011-02-16T22:19:44Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Hmf! “Imagine” indeed! You’re talking to Dopers here! Yes, I do imagine they have the same glassy eyed stare of the habitual qat chewer. It helps explain some of the posts I’ve seen over the years…😃 [Link](http://www.flickr.com/photos/8279953@N05/galleries/72157625558005686/) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/12 "2011-02-17T02:52:30Z")
Imagine a “cud cocktail” of qat, betel leaves, coca leaves and chewing terbacky . . . Wonder what effect that would have? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/13 "2011-02-17T02:59:55Z")
And now look what has happened to this thread. :o I blame the Yemenis. People of Yemen! At this unique moment in the glorious history of your country, you have also a duty to the wider world! A duty to keep us entertained with drama and/or carnage every fucking day until sweeps week! Spit out the qat and drag yourselves to the barricades! This is your chance to create a world where one American in four actually knows where Yemen is! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/14 "2011-02-18T14:52:19Z")
It just occurred to me: Does the multitude of discontented factions in the streets of Yemen include any Communists? I ask only because [South Yemen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Yemen) was a Communist country from 1970 to 1990 (when it was merged with North Yemen); presumably the ideology must have had some measure of on-the-ground popularity. Does it still? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/15 "2011-02-22T19:22:23Z")
[Now that’s more like it!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Yemeni_protests#20-21_February)😃 > [@](#): > > **19 February** > > Several anti-government protesters have been injured in clashes with supporters of Yemen’s President, as both sides fired pistols and assault rifles, the first reported use of firearms by demonstrators. Five Saleh opponents were wounded by gunfire, three of them seriously, and three were wounded when demonstrators threw stones at each other outside the university. Around 1,000 anti-government demonstrators chanted “Leave! Leave!” and “The people want the fall of the regime!”, and between 200 and 300 Saleh supporters called for dialogue.[49] > > In south Yemen, where resentment of rule from Sanaa runs high, dozens of men used their cars in the town of Karish to block the main road between Taiz and the southern port city of Aden, shouting for “the fall of the regime”. In Aden as many as 400 protesters staged a peaceful sit-in, holding banners saying: “No to oppression. No to corruption”. The local council of Sheikh Othman, a directorate in Aden, said in a statement it resigned in protest at the use of live bullets by security forces against protesters which led to deaths and injuries in the city on Friday. In Sanaa, the editor of the defence ministry newspaper was wounded when he was beaten and stabbed by anti-government protesters.[49] > > **20-21 February** > > Protests continued as students started a sit-in at Sana’a University.[50] Tents have also been set up in front of Sana’a University gate. Some tribes representatives came from Arhab, Nahm, Anis (in Dhamar), Shabwah, and Abyan to support the peaceful protests by showing up some of the Yemeni dance with the students. Students from Al-Razi institute declared a sit-in as well.[51][52] > > **22 February** > > Anti-government protesters in Yemen have resumed demonstrations, burning a car belonging to Saleh’s supporters in the capital. Thousands rallied at a university campus while hundreds continued to camp out in a nearby square. Protesters also set up checkpoints around the Sana’a square and searched those trying to enter. As anti-government protesters carried on, Saleh’s supporters, armed with daggers and batons, clashed violently with students, before police intervened, five people being hurt in the confrontation. Demonstrators also marched in the eastern town of Ash Shihr, chanting “Down, down with Saleh”. In Taiz thousands of protesters marched in the Safir square. Hundreds have been camping in the square for at least a week, having renamed it “Freedom Square”. In the port city of Aden, schools closed, most government employees were not working and many shops were closed as hundreds gathered for another round of protests. A spokesman for the opposition has rebuffed Saleh’s offer of dialogue and an influential group of Muslim religious leaders has called for a national unity government that would lead the country to elections.[53] Sounds like they put down the qat and discovered coke! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/16 "2011-03-10T20:56:48Z")
[President Saleh offers new constitution to be submitted to referendum at year’s end; opposition rejects offer and demands Saleh go.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/10/AR2011031002507.html) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/17 "2011-03-15T15:36:51Z")
As protests continue, [Yemen clamps down on foreign media.](http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/03/15/Yemen-clamps-down-on-foreign-media/UPI-10551300198367/) ---
**Author:** ![Walther\_Ego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Walther\_Ego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walther_Ego)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/18 "2011-03-16T08:52:42Z")
Now that the media is concentrated on Japan, is the right time everywhere to clamp down on anything. Not sure it’s working thou, we still hear about it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/19 "2011-03-19T02:19:25Z")
[Protest crackdown in Sanaa kills 41; President Saleh declares state of emergency and national curfew.](http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/2011318115434957754.html) Like that’s gonna work. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245/20 "2011-03-20T01:11:19Z")
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out On one hand now that the UN is going to impose a no-fly zone on Libya, it shows that the UN will do something. So this may mean those in charge of dictatorial regimes in the Mideast (and elsewhere) will want to quash any source of protest, before, so a no-fly zone won’t be put on it Or it may mean that the other regimes realize the West can only do so many no-fly zones at once so they have nothing to fear as the West isn’t going to be able to do that everywhere [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-now-yemen-and-the-pink-revolution/571245.md?page=2)